The colon cancer self-test is a very accurate home immunological test, this self-test does not require a diet period like the current guaiac test. It is best to collect the stool sample on 3 consecutive days to increase the risk of detecting internal bleeding.

Whom is the colon cancer self-test suitable for?

If you are over 40 years old (both women and men), if you have a history of cancer in your family, or if you have at least one of the following symptoms, you should test yourself today:

Gastrointestinal lesions bleed frequently. The blood can be detected specifically by performing a test in the feces. The presence of blood can be explained by several causes: ulcers, hemorrhoids or colon cancers. The likelihood of detecting intermittent bleeding is increased by the procedure for collecting samples for 3 days.

Why should I do the self-test?

Studies have shown that when colon cancer is detected at an early stage, only 10% of cases end in death within five years, while cancer discovered in later stages has a mortality rate of 90%.

In 95% of cases, colon polyps or tumors in the colon cause cancer and are often discovered by chance during colonoscopy or CT colonography. If blood is detected in your bowel movement, you can consult a doctor for follow-up or if in doubt, you can perform a self-test.

How does the self-test performed?

If you take a sample with the colon cancer self-test kit, you can see the result within 10 minutes.

In the Netherlands it is estimated that about 1 in 20 people will develop colon cancer during their lifetime. Most people get colon cancer when they are over 50 years old.

It is the second most common cause of death in women and the third in men. However, with advances in screening techniques and improvements in treatments, the number of deaths from colon cancer has decreased.

Colon cancer can be benign or non-malignant or malignant. A malignant cancer can spread to other parts of the body and damage them.

Risk factors

Possible risk factors are:

Polyps increase the risk of colon cancer.

Advanced age

A diet rich in animal protein, saturated fats and calories

A diet that is low in fiber

High alcohol consumption

Women who had breast, ovarian or uterine cancer

A family history of colon cancer

Being overweight and obesity

Smoking

A lack of physical activity

The presence of polyps in the colon or rectum because these can eventually become cancerous. Most colon carcinomas develop within polyps (adenoma). These are often found in the intestinal wall.

Eating red or processed meat can increase the risk

People with a tumor suppressor gene known as Sprouty2 may be at higher risk for some colon cancers.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), colon cancer is the second most common tumor in men and women after lung cancer.

About 2 percent of people over the age of 50 will eventually develop colon cancer in Western Europe.